Post navigation

I slipped on my flip flops and made my way to the mailbox. Bills…bills…bills, wonderful. Just as I was heading back, a glimmer caught my eye. A massive spider web was being created behind my mailbox. My first instinct was to screech, ewww! I found a stick and had every intention of ridding my yard of that creepy crawly critter. I stopped. The intricate details of his web impeded my initial thought. I could just image all the hard work that was involved in such beautiful artwork. A new characteristic could be discovered by adjusting my viewpoint. The sun rays bounced off the almost translucent webbing. A glimpse of his life rushed over me. This fascinating maze served a purpose. It provided him a home, a feeding ground and a place to belong. Who am I to destroy his life? Chances are…he eats the bugs that annoy me. I carried my mail inside finding myself completely content with my new neighbor.

Thank you for taking the time to view my art. Please ‘like’ my facebook page for more images. Indulge your senses with others amazing interpretations of the Weekly Writing Challenge

I’ll begin with telling you that Doogan was much easier to create. The Gubler Flu has a lot of intricacies. Of course, I’m building a 3D model from a tee shirt image. Matthew has such a vivid imagination and a peculiar way of designing mesmeric pieces. It’s outlandish to believe that I could recreate his art anywhere near his visions. I attempted it though. The Gubler Flu was created completely out of newspaper. He’s about 8 inches tall. The arms were enjoyable to manipulate (insert sarcasm.) It took two coats of paint to give him that fleshy tone. Now, he and Doogan hang out waiting for Geeselund. (guess what I’m working on now)

*I did notice after the photo shoot that my Gubler Flu replica is missing his antennas. I’ll fix it!

I’m going to embark upon an exciting journey. I adore Gublerland so much that not only am I writing a story, I’ve decided to bring it to life. I have no idea where I’m going to display an entire town. This should prove to be interesting 😉 I can get lost in fabulous adventures there. Creating it gives me hope, a sense of belonging, and absolute happiness. The obvious beginning is with the Mayor Doogan Gooseberry. His starting point has four components; glue, newspaper, toothpicks and napkins. I worked a little magic with Papier–mâché. I added some paint, paying attention to detail. He has a rip in the knee of the pants and a belt like Matthew created. The scattered teeth and top hat were the finishing touches. In the background you’ll see the sketch of Doogan’s home that I’m building now. I’ll keep you updated with the construction. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it as much as I do! Have a Gubler.ific Day!!!

On my way to work, six months ago, there was a treacherous storm. I remember that day very vividly. I work in a quaint little bookstore tucked away amongst towering buildings. It sits next to an alley, which honestly, looks creepy to me. I hustled under the bookstore awning and tried to shake away the rain. I noticed movement in a box just inside the alley. I squinted for a better look. Three little puppies were jumping about trying to get away from the rain. I ran to them and scooped them up. As I made my way to the back room, my boss (Grandfather) shook his head and laughed. I heard his words trail after me, “don’t let them make a mess.” I dried them off, tossed the seat cushion in a box and sat them on it. My sister visited the day before and left behind a box of baby oatmeal. I mixed it with milk and positioned the bowl in front of the pups. They lapped it right up. Poor little guys were starving. They were very young. On a closer inspection, I discovered two girls and a peculiar boy. He had what appeared to be, two tails. It didn’t seem to affect his health. He didn’t yelp when I examined it. He licked my face and bounced around playfully. I took them up to the front with me. I worked a little then played with the pups a little. I never considered having a dog of my own. There’s a big world out there to explore and a dog would slow me down. Not to mention, I’m not certain that I could give him the love that he would need. A woman came in and purchased some books. She inquired about the pups. Within five minutes, the girls each had new families to love. An hour passed when a mom and boy came in. He picked up the pup and looked him over curiously. “What’s wrong with it?” “He’s unique,” I said, slightly offended. With a raised eyebrow he asked his mom if he could take it home. As the pup was carried out the door, his eyes met mine. There was something…and then he was gone. I’ve spent six months thinking about that day. Eight days ago, as I walked into the bookstore, I noticed movement in the alley. I moved closer and realized it was that pup. He was in bad shape. I scooped him up and took him to the animal hospital. His ear was sliced open but sutures corrected it. He had several bare spots over his body with open wounds but ointment would heal those. His left eye was bloody and infected. He’s blind in that eye but can see from the other. The pads of his feet were cracked and bleeding but they will heal in time. He cringes and it’s obvious that fear pulses through his veins every time someone makes a move around him. I’m not certain that will heal but I will try my best. Eight days ago, I was reunited with this special pup. I named him Tails. He hides under the sofa and watches as I move about the apartment. He comes when I put food down but won’t let me touch him. The past few days have been rough. This evening as I relaxed on the sofa, Tails jumped up, looked at me for a moment and then curled up against me. I lightly stroked his fur and hugged him gently.

* * *I remember feeling scared and alone. I jumped up and looked at my momma for a moment then I curled up against her. She licked my fur and pulled me close. Early the next morning, my sisters and I were put in a box. With a thud, we hit the ground. It was dark and cold. Water was falling on us. We yelled for help and tried to escape. A shadowy figure moved toward us. He took us inside, dried us and filled our bellies. He seemed very nice. I never considered having a human of my own. There’s a big world out there to explore and a human would slow me down. Not to mention, I’m not certain that I could give him the love that he would need. After some time, my sisters left and never returned. A young boy picked me up and looked me over. I had a feeling that was unfamiliar wash over me. As the boy carried me out the door, my eyes met the guys who saved me. There was something…and then he was gone. A few weeks passed. The boy was bad about remembering to feed and water me. So, when he did…I was extremely happy. I didn’t like the way he played. He found it exciting to; put me in toy cars and roll me down slides, strap me to remote helicopters and make me fly, put me on remote boats and crash them, put me inside boxes with the lid closed for a day or two, and wrap tape around my paws so that I would walk funny. The boy had a friend come over to play sometimes. Those are the days that I hated most. They would tape firecrackers to me and laugh as I ran. When my fur caught on fire, they would toss me in the pool. One morning, they smeared hair removal crème around my left eye. I remember how bad it began to burn. My vision started to fade. An excruciating pain flooded my mind. At first, I was frozen with intense pain and then I lashed out. I bit the boy who was attempting to cut off my ear with scissors. I ran as fast as I could. I didn’t look back or stop. When there was a enough distance between us, I looked around. I knew this area. The bookstore. I hobbled just inside the alley in case the boys came past. I collapsed with exhaustion. I was weak and losing conscience. A shadow moved closer. I woke up and my wounds felt a little better. It was difficult to move. There were tubes attached to me, but they seemed to be helping. I didn’t feel as thirsty or hungry. A face leaned down to just inches away from me. He smiled and gently rubbed my paw. I pulled back. The next day, I went home with the guy from so long ago. He gave me a bed of my own. My bowl always had food and water in them. He talked to me a lot. He asked what happened and came up with his own logic. He told me about work and things he wanted to do when I healed. I just listened and watched him. Sometimes, he reached to me but I backed up. He didn’t push it. The pain on my body was almost gone. I felt alone and scared. I jumped up next to my human, looked at him for a moment and then curled up against him. He lightly stroked my fur and pulled me close.

I crave the strange and unusual. Paranormal activity excites me and Halloween is the BEST…yes, I stress in my big girl voice…the BEST day ever. Eight years ago, my daughters and I moved into apartments. We were in an upstairs unit. The balcony was perfectly shaped for a scare zone…terrifyingly so.. leading into my apartment. Several children refused to come onto our porch (chickens) including the children that shared the porch with us. Their Mom was humored but made me meet her in the parking lot so I could help her cover their eyes and get them safely into their apartment. It was a single parent community and we had a council that consisted of four parents. They decided on family functions each month. Every year there was a Halloween party (with everyday music, very minimal décor and typical foods) and a haunted house that was one room big, not scary in the least bit and built with very little creativity. While I appreciated their efforts, it was a let down. My third year as a resident, the council had a BRILLIANT idea. They asked me to head up the Halloween committee. AHHH!!! My dream (and all others nightmares) came true. I immediately had ideas running amuck. I nabbed a copy of our 501c3 form and began to hit up local establishments. Most places gave me gift cards. Restaurants donated a lot of food. The party was incredible to say the least. The food was monster themed and the clubhouse was spooky. Before the party began, I had parents set up around the complex for a trick or treat trail. I found a local band who played awesome music outside and an extremely talented DJ who had the party rocking inside. My proudest moment happened when the first group entered the Haunted House. We took over a two bedroom apartment. The first room was completely blacked out with a faint light across the room. As the door closed the group felt compelled to move toward the light trying to search for the exit. Loud erratic music filled the room, the light became brighter as a lid began to open. Suddenly, the group was faced with a mutilated corpse rising from a casket. The walls seem to close in. It was Gothic Monks surrounding them. Adrenaline was pumping and screams took over the room. The monks backed up and let everyone move onto the haunted corridor. I had makeshift walls that were coated in splattered glow paint. The floor was covered in a thick layer of leaves with random sticks that made you feel like the floor would collapse at any time. There were people hiding in corners that kept everyone afraid to move on. At the last corner the room opened up to a cannibals kitchen. Body parts were boiling in vats of blood and bugs for that extra yummy seasoning. Fingers lined plates, bowls of eyeballs and brains cluttered the counters. The creepy cannibal offered delicious treats but everyone declined with screams of terror.

They rushed to the next room only to find that a bride was sewn to a wall and fighting for life as blood drained from her body soaking the floor. Fleeing from the killer hiding behind the door, the group was forced into my room. From a distance, I appeared to be a girl dressed in a white gown laying in bed. Within seconds the Holy Water began to burn my skin as the Priest doused me in it for my exorcism. I thrashed about trying to free my wrists from the bedposts and kill them all. My face was ashy and covered in gashes. (I wore contacts that even frightened me a little.) As I tore free from my bindings, the group ran across the hall. The last task was to make it through the wicked forest. Trees were attempting to absorb souls. Evil sprites and fairies collected prisoners. Needless to say, my Haunted House was a hit. Several kids and adults refused to go through after hearing tales of terror. A few brave souls came through more than once. The reviews were fantastic and I was asked to be the official “Halloween Committee.”

We moved into a house three years ago. I always decorate my house and yard but last year it felt a little empty. I miss terrorizing people. Gruesome, I know. My backyard is huge and the layout is perfect to host a morbid Haunted House.

My question (s) for you, Mr. Gubler are;

1.Will you consider spending a weekend here with me hosting the bestest & scariest Haunted House ever?B.Can we start putting ideas down …now… to give us plenty of time to frighten people thoroughly?Trois.How do you feel about “Gubler’s Gruesome Gallery Gallivanting Gory Geists“?

I have this nasty little habit (actually it’s quite awesome) of handwriting all my material for my own personal creative release. I mean everything under the sun. I’ve got short stories, novels, screen writes, dreams, silly quips, and random randomness <—clever, right? I now have the desire to expose my craziness and dip others into my conscience. I’m in the process of converting all my words of mass delusions…I mean, enlightening entertainment, into typed format so that I may share them on my blog. Oddly enough, I write thirteen times faster than I can type it up. It’s coming, I promise…

***This is my imagination in overdrive, creating what my ideal of Gublerland is. Merely a fan.fiction. Matthew Gray Gubler is the actual owner and creator of http://www.matthewgraygubler.com which is the only true website for Gublerland.

“Come on, Mara! It’s time to go to Memaw and Pappy’s.” Rath screamed as he darted down the hall.

Mara had been dreading the days leading up to the here and now. She didn’t want to leave the sounds of the city. The sirens and horns were melodic. People screaming at one another would peak her interest. Visual enjoyment came from towering buildings, swinging stoplights, trash blowing down the street, neon signs blinking at local businesses, and traffic in every direction. This was life. The only way she knew it could exist. Her best friend, Abby, was always at her side. Who would she spend her time with? She needs the noise to play on her ear drums so that she can concentrate. What would she do with peace and quiet? Her parents only mentioned that it would be a nice visit with her grandparents. When would she come back to reality? Every day she climbed into her window seat, admired the city and would lose herself in thought. Where would she sit and think? This summer’s get-away seemed pointless. Why would her parents make her trade this comfortable life for the country? She had never spent more than a weekend away from home. How was she going to find a moment to be happy?

Her bedroom door flew open.

“Mom said now!” Rath blurted out and slammed the door just as quickly as it opened.

Reluctantly, Mara made her way into the living room. “Let’s go ruin my life.” Her Mom smiled at her Dad. The car engine fired up and with that, Mara was lost in music and Rath started doodling away in his sketch book. Rath loved to draw. The lines of his drawings took on peculiar forms as the car bumped and turned along the road. These were some of his favorite monsters, as of yet. It was a long drive from New York City to Greensburg, KY. Thirteen hours later, they arrived at their Grandparents farm. The evening had begun to settle so there wasn’t any time to explore. They were greeted with shrills of laughter, hugs and kisses. It was somewhat overwhelming combined with the extensive howls of two lazy hounds on the porch. It seemed like an eternity before the Grandparents led the kids to their rooms. It was an old two-story farmhouse with obscure etchings along the wall borders and stairs banister. There were three bedrooms and a full bath on the second floor. Mara chose her Mothers old room. She was going to make several changes if she had to endure this for any length of time. Rath ran into a room and jumped on the bed. Great bounce and plenty of head room for a few long jumps. That was his only requirement. Their parents said good night and headed off to bed.

Mara stood at the foot of the bed. She slept on a daybed at home. The space was limited in their city flat. This bed was massive and tall. She walked beside it and gave a generous jump to get up on it. She laid back and stretched out. It felt really good. The ceiling was cluttered with glow in the dark stars. The walls were a faint dark blue. Obviously, her Mother wanted to feel as though she were outside. The house was heated by a wood stove. The scent of smoky cedar wafted throughout the house. There were so many sounds. Many were unfamiliar to her. As she tried to identify each sound, she was lulled to sleep. Rath continued to check out every nook in his room. He discovered a train track and pieces underneath the bed. It connected together in a way that ran it all around the room missing furniture pieces and ran under the bed, using it as a tunnel. Rath thought the track was designed for that particular bedroom and wondered why. After a few rounds, he shut it down and climbed into bed.

The sun was scarcely shining as the rooster called out the day. Mara yawned, stretched and sat up. Yum. What was that smell? She hopped over the edge of the bed and rushed downstairs. Memaw was buzzing around the kitchen so quickly that Mara just stopped and watched in amazement. There was a crock pot on the counter brewing some smoky bacon grits. She whisked a skillet filled with fluffy eggs and flipped over thick maple cured bacon slices in another skillet. She glanced over her shoulder at Mara and barked “don’t just stand there, make yourself useful young lady. Set the table and go holler for your folks.” She grabbed the stack of plates on the counter and laid them out neatly on the table. She tossed down napkins and silverware then ran upstairs. Her parents were packing their things up.

“You’re leaving already?” Mara said with mild aggravation. “Where are you going? Why all the secrecy? How long are we staying here? Why can’t…”

Her Dad interrupted, “Take it easy. We’ll sit down after breakfast and give you the details. Memaw gets angry if were not there when food hits the table.” With the feeling of defeat, Mara spun around and sulked as she made her way to the kitchen.

“Hold your head up child. Show some pride.” Memaw gave her a hip bump and a smile. Mara couldn’t hold back and let out a giggle, “oh, Memaw!”

Pappy and Rath were already at the table. The rest of the family joined them and began to pass around the food. There was an awkward silence so Pappy chimed in to lighten the air. “The boy and I collected a lot of eggs. I believe we should make a run into town.”
“You should do that right after we leave, Dad. You can introduce the kids to some people in town and show them around.” She made eye contact with each of her children. Rath smiled and shoved eggs in his mouth. Mara glared and sighed in disgust.

After breakfast, Mara was eager to help clean up. She had questions that needed answers and that wouldn’t happen until everyone sat down. They all gathered into the living room. Their Dad was a mastermind at contract deals and negotiating reasonable terms. Their Mom was a fashion designer and just steps away from being the top in the industry. Mom started the conversation.

“We were asked to create a fashion show from the ground up. This is a wonderful opportunity. My designs will be worn during the show so I’ll spend several hours perfecting the outfits. Your father has to scout locations and models. He will be pulling overnighters to draw up contracts and ensure the construction goes well. It’s in California. We can’t, in good conscience, have you two spending that amount of time alone in an unfamiliar city. We felt that spending the summer here would be better for you.”

“The whole summer?” Mara exclaimed.

“Yes.”

Mara ran outside. Rath didn’t seem to mind the situation. He was fascinated with all the farm animals and the chance to run free. Their parents had to get on the road. They had a week to reach California and get settled. They said their goodbyes and parted ways. As they drove to town, the kids took in there surroundings. There was a lot of open land and few houses scattered about. It was just a matter of minutes before they reached town. Every shop was locally owned. There weren’t any signs of corporations and franchises. The town was quaint and friendly. People smiled and waved. There was a barber shop, bakery, hardware store, meat market, veggie stands and a few restaurants on main street. Pappy parked the old pick up and grabbed the eggs. “Come on, boy, let’s go make some money.” Memaw motioned for Mara to follow her and quickly disappeared into the “Tea Cup.” The aroma was fantastic as Mara entered the shop. The walls were lined with a variety of tea and coffee choices. Memaw already had her selection and was at the register. She introduced her granddaughter to the shop owner, made her purchase and hurried out the door. They crossed the street and entered the bakery. Papaw sold the eggs and was picking out biscuits and other bread items. After a short drive through town, they headed back to the farm. Mara was ready to explore. She received a stern lecture about staying out of danger and to be at the dinner table when food was on because it would not wait for her. After the food was put away, kitchen was closed. She nodded her head in acknowledgement and set out to find a piece of mind. Two hours later, Mara figured out there are corn fields, a creek, several farm animals and a whole lot of emptiness. She cleaned up for lunch and enjoyed the home cooked meal. Neither of her parents like to cook. Most of their food options came from restaurants. So, this was a nice change. The rest of the evening was uneventful. The grandparents went to bed at 8:30. Mara and Rath watched tv and then went to bed. The next day was a repeat, for the most part, until the evening. During dinner, a storm was rolling in. The grandparents went to bed, once again, at 8:30 and the kids played a board game in Rath’s room. A short time passed, when they heard movement in the attic. They called to their grandparents with no response. They stepped into the hallway and noticed the access door. Mara pulled the cord and stairs slid down. Rath rushed right up. He was definitely a boy, curious for adventure and didn’t fear a whole lot. They looked around the attic and found some great treasures. There were awesome vintage toys, beautiful gowns, furniture full of history and a peculiar mirror hanging on the furthest wall. As they moved in for a closer look, a raccoon leaped toward them. They screamed then began to laugh. The source of the thumps. They collected themselves and made their way to the mirror. The frame was made of antique white washed wood with the same etchings that were displayed throughout the house. Immediately, they were dumbfounded by the reflections. Mara was holding a staff with her head on it and her new face appeared creature like. Rath took on a monster form with a gigantic head.